Friday Brandon and I went to the Prime outlet mall to go to the Ann Taylor Factory Store to go back on my suit hunt. They had quite a few suits on clearance, up to 60% off. After trying on several slacks and jackets, I finally found the one suit that I liked. The employees there are very helpful and friendly to my surprise! I asked Brandon if he could find me a different size in a jacket and one of the employees volunteered to find the size for me and actually brought back a whole bunch of clothes to try on. She gave me her honest opinion on if the outfit looked good or not on me. She must have went back into the store at least 5 times to look for different suits for me. Most retail stores will not go over and beyond like that to give customers the best service that they can get. Retail stores usually are not required to do that. It may be one of the requirements of working at Ann Taylor because I noticed that when I went to the Ann Taylor Loft in Waterford Lakes the employees there were very helpful too. I'm sure its a sale strategy. I probably would not have gone home with a suit, which means more profit for them, if the employee did not search the whole store for me. The difference though is that you could tell that these employees genuinely wanted to be helpful instead of grudgingly going through the motions just to get another sale. Its not likely for the employees working in the stores profit off of sales in the means of incentives. Anyways..yeah...I found a suit! ya!! I had to take the pants to Burlington Coat Factory though for them to hem them. I usually hem all of my pants since I sew, but I don't have time to hem them by Monday night and I'd have to deal with 2 lays.
I have realized though that I LOVE Ann Taylor. I went the Loft location in Waterford today and found a dress and a skirt on sale. Both are really nice! I have a coupon for next month. 25 dollars off of a 50 dollar or more purchase. If I get the job at DePrince, Race and Zollo, then I will definitely go back for work clothes. :D If I don't get the job, I will still go back for church clothes.
I give Ann Taylor 5 stars for the great service and wonderful clothes. They can be a bit expensive, so that's why I try to buy whatever I get on sale.

Church Hunting

Brandon and I are currently searching for a church to attend together. For a year we were both going to the Hub University Church. They used to meet at the downtown Orlando YMCA, but now they share space with Fort Gatlin Alliance Church off of Michigan and Bumby. Back in January, I decided to leave that church for several reasons. I don't want to go into it on here, but if you want to know why, then ask me in person. So I left and was going back to my church of 10 or so years. Now that Brandon and I are engaged, I feel that we should make the decision together on which church we should go to. There are some things that I feel are important in a church.

Sound doctrine- follows the bible strictly, believes the bible is God's holy word and that everything in it is true

Bible based teaching-Teaches God's word, doesn't pick and choose topics or twist topics. 1 Timothy 6:3- If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions

Discipleship- a place to go deeper into God's word in a group setting, learn from eachother, become stronger in our faith

Accoutability- a place to confess sin, encourage one another and lift eachother up.

Evangelism- We are to go and reach the lost. Matthew 9:37-38
Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

Fellowship Making time to be together outside of church, getting to know eachother, loving one another. Hebrews 10:25 "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."

Please pray for Brandon and I as we go through this process. Pray that God will make it clear where we should attend church and that Brandon and I will listen to what he says and be able to hear His voice.

Jobs...

I have a job interview on Tuesday morning at 9:00am at De Prince, Race and Zollo. I'm really excited! Its a small firms in Winter Park that basically buys,sells, and manages stock. They work with large-cap value, small-cap value, micro-cap value, international value, global value equity income, and all-capitalization value income. The job is for an administrative assistant for one of the partners of the firm, but I would get to help out the accountant with her reports which would be really exciting and great for me. I don't own a suit, so I need to go suit hunting tonight or tomorrow before Chad and Julie's wedding. I looked on Tuesday night w/ Christina, but didn't find anything. Well, I did find one at TJ Max, but the top was too big. I may need to find a store that sells the items seperately. I know 2 girls from church that work there, so that will be nice to already know people going into the job. I'm praying that I get the job. I really don't like where I am at. I like the work itself, but I have no one here to talk to and the environment is horrible and this place is ghetto. I know God had a purpose for me receiving this job though and so I don't know if he will let me move on yet or not. There aren't any christians here except one guy that is in another room but talks less than me and another girl but she's a field manager so she doesn't work in the office. I wish I could make an impact on the people here that are lost, but I've been finding it very difficult especially since I'm by myself. sighh..I wish I was more bold. I'll just keep praying and see what happens. If God wants me to have that job, then he'll give it to me. I believe He is in control of everything and I should not worry. He knows my thoughts. Pray for me in this situation and that everything will go according to God's plan.

Brandon and I are engaged as of last Saturday! :D Praise God! I remember hanging out w/ a couple of close friends a few years ago and we all were making list of qualities that we wanted in a husband. My list was so long! lol I wasn't sure how or if God would ever provide this wonder guy that I had made up. And then Brandon came along. It started off as acquaintances in a bible study together. Brandon knew the leader of the group and the study was being held at his (Brandon's) house and I was invited by a coworker to join the group. I started to get to know him and was hanging around him more w/ friends and what started off as just another boy soon developed into a crush. I could tell there was something different about this guy, something special. Anyone that meets him could tell you that. He is kind, patient, loving, funny, outgoing (even though he says he'd rather spend time by himself at home hehe), he'd take off his shirt for you. I could see Christ in this man. I never thought I would have had any chance of having him part of my life. We started hanging out alot more often in group settings. I got to know him more and started to develop a deeper connection. One day we were going to play racquetball w/ a small group, but it ended up being just us two. That had happened one other time but this particular day was a Sunday. While we were playing we accidently ran into eachother, which sometimes could happen while playing others, but this time our hands kind of ended up half holding eachothers. We just kinda froze there which seemed like forever to me. The butterflies where kicking in high gear. He eventually told me that he kinda liked me and that he has like me for a while. I couldn't believe me ears!!! Wow! I had assumptions that he could maybe like me b/c of some actions that could pass as flirting but I never could truly believed it. That would make me once again that immature high school freshman that I once used to be. I told him that I like him too and he said "Yeah, I could tell". Again, I was shocked, b/c I thought I wasn't being obvious. I tried not to be at least. But maybe all goofy smiles, shaving cream fights, chasing each other around the beach, and other actions kinda gave it away. That crush soon grew into love. I love this man soo much! I feel so blessed that God has put such a wonderful man into my life. And you know that list that I told you about in the beginning? Well, I can honestly say that Brandon makes all the qualifications on that list! Well except for the man in a uniform part. lol..that one was kinda silly anyways. God is good! I wanted the next guy that came around if there were to be a next guy to be The guy; i wasn't going to settle for any guy anymore. I didn't want to break any more hearts along w/ my heart. So I made a list of what I wanted in a husband. I prayed to God about it often; that if He were to bless me w/ a husband that He would have all those qualities on my list and that it would be the next guy I dated. I learned that we can call on God for anything as long as it is according to His will. He wants us to ask him for things; he enjoys delighting himself in us. He says ask and you shall receive, knock and the door shall be open to you. I wonder if God ever just stands there w/ a present and we just don't receive it b/c we don't ask. I guess that happens alot w/ the present of Christ for our salvation...but that's a different topic.

to be continued...

Well, today is the first day of a new month. 2008 is flying by; I can't believe June is a month away! Here is the verse on my calendar for the month of May.
"The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17
This verse reminds me of how much God does love us. Its amazing how He enjoys delighting in His children, especially when we don't deserve it! It makes me want to love him back all the more.

Happy Birthday Cassie!!

I'm dedicating this entry to my wonderful sister Cassie who has turned 25 today! Wow, you're a quarter of a century old!! hehe..that makes it sound really old, huh? ;o) I can't believe it; time goes by so fast! I'm sad that you are so far away and that I can't celebrate this day with you. I wish I could jump on a plane and come visit you...if only money wasn't an issue. I hope you are having a really great day and that you can relax and celebrate w/ friends. May God bless you so much this next year! I love you!!!

1 final down and 1 to go. I was so relieved after I finished the final for my marketing class. This wasn't the most exciting class for me; i'd rather be in my Quantitative tools class which is a mix of calc and statistics. lol. But I did make it through and reached my goal for the class! :) yay! Praise God! :D My other final is on Monday. Lets hope for no long lines!

So this is the first entry to my new blog. I hope to use it to post about things that are going on in my life, things God is teaching me and bible verses that I am currently reading. I will also post pictures along with some entries. I don't know who will read this, or if there will be an audience at all. If so, that's cool, if not, that's cool too. I would just like a place that I can write down my thoughts and events. I have a Livejournal, but I haven't posted on it in forever, so I thought I'd like to start off new.
I named my blog "Longing 4 Him' because lately I've been wanting something deeper than ever before in my relationship w/ God. I want to look back at my life and feel like I've actually connected with God. I want to look back and feel and know that I have been a light for Christ's Kingdom and that He will one day say "Well done, good and faithful servant". How I long to hear those words, to know that I have helped and served my Abba faithfully and willingly.

"Yes, Lord, walking in the ways of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desires of our hearts. My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you. When your judgements come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness. Though grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness; even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil and regard not the majesty of the Lord." Isaiah 26:8-10